Today we’d like to introduce you to Vito DiSalvo.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Chef Vito DiSalvo was first drawn to the culinary world through his upbringing in a traditional Italian home where the making of traditional Italian foods was a part of everyday life. After deciding to become a chef at the age of ten, Vito honed his skills at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY graduating with an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts at age 19. He continued his education receiving his Bachelor Degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University in Miami, Florida by age 21. Concurrently he was employed at Chef Allen’s in Aventura for three years. Vito would then become Sous Chef at Mark’s South Beach. During his tenure at Mark’s, the restaurant was named #1 in Miami by Gourmet Magazine, best new restaurant by Bon Appetit and one of the 50 best hotel restaurants by Conde Nast Traveler. Ready for his next culinary challenge, Vito moved to Florence, Italy where he began working at 3 Michelin Star Enoteca Pinchiorri, then rated as one of the top four restaurants in the world.
After three years in Italy, and an opportunity to star in his own cooking show, Vito returned to Pittsburgh, to star in and co-produce “La Dolce Vita” Cooking and Lifestyle Show which aired on NBC in the Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Tri-state area for two years earning him rave reviews from the food critics of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Upon completion of the show, Vito moved to Raleigh, North Carolina where he opened “Stromboli’s Gourmet Pizza and Pasta”. After two years Vito and his partner opened the second Stromboli’s to immediate success; but after five years he parted ways to return to Florida and become the co-owner of the Park Central Café located on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. His Hospitality Consulting Company VCD Hospitality LLC has been operating since 2011 and managing and consulting on multiple restaurants as well as off premise catering events for celebrities and dignitaries such as Bill Gates, Former President Bill Clinton, and the Miami Heat Basketball Team.
Vito is a local resident of Plantation, FL where he lives with his wife of eleven years, Santina. Their three years old son, Vito, and three months old twin boys, Rocco & Gio. Their son, Vito, was the inspiration for opening Vivace, three years ago, as they signed the lease to the restaurant space the night Santina was in labor with him.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting any business is a labor of love. I truly have a passion for what I do, so I enjoy seeing Vivace continue to grow and I learn something new each day. In the beginning, like any new venture, we definitely had our growing pains, learning our local market and hiring the right staff to fit the level of customer service and food quality we wished to obtain. Over the past three years, we have acquired a very loyal staff, who has grown with us both in the kitchen and in the front of the house, striving to provide exceptional customer service. Our regular customers have seen Vivace evolve into what it is today over the past three years, and we are extremely grateful for the continued support.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Vivace Gourmet Pizza & Pasta – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We are a family restaurant and specialize in authentic, fresh, homemade Italian cuisine. We are more than just pizza. I incorporate many family recipes, and recipes I have learned living in Italy to try and provide a traditional Italian dining experience for our customers. Our customers love our homemade mozzarella, pastas, branzino, chicken Romano, and our pizzas and strombolis. We specialize in caterings, both on and off-site, servicing many schools, businesses, and events in our area and surrounding areas. We offer delivery in the area, as well as take out.
I am very proud of our staff, and the level of service we strive to provide, making everyone feel like they are an extension of our family. Often during the winter months, my dad, who is a world-renowned musician will perform on the piano, while he is on tour with various groups. Customers can follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on special events.
Most important to me is the quality and taste of our food. I strive for perfection in each of our dishes every time. If for any reason our customers are not happy, we try our very best to make it right.
We are family friendly, but also a great place for a date night. We also have a semi-private back room, for private events and parties, where we host anything from birthday parties, corporate meetings, holiday parties & more.
Since I have an extensive culinary background, I like to be creative in the kitchen, so we try to offer nightly dinner specials and weekend specials that our customers really enjoy.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I am constantly looking to grow and improve our brand. If the opportunity should present itself, the one thing we would like to do differently is add a full bar and permanent outdoor seating to better serve our guests.
Contact Info:
- Address: Vivace Gourmet Pizza & Pasta
Executive Chef/Owner Vito DiSalvo
9763 W. Broward Blvd.
Plantation, FL 33324
Monday – Thursday 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Saturday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Sunday 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM - Website: www.vivacepizza.com
- Phone: 954-440-2189
- Email: vitodisalvo@gmail.com
- Instagram: vivacegourmetpizza
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/vivacegourmetpizza
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